In 2002, the New York Times published a series on GPO abuses. The title of the series was “Medicine’s Middlemen,” and the articles discussed the way that two large GPOs had cornered the market on medical devices and supplies, thus increasing costs, and in some cases, causing inferior medical devices to be used in hospitals. Journalists Walt Bogdanich, Barry Meier, and Mary Williams Walsh won the prestigious George Polk Award for the series.

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights has conducted four hearings to investigate GPO abuses, including kickbacks.

In July 2004, Retractable settled an antitrust lawsuit against BD (formerly Becton, Dickinson and Company) for $100 million. But it was a bittersweet victory. Although it validated our position and provided an infusion of cash, our lifesaving products are still blocked from many hospitals. So the struggle continues.